Paulites enter hall, grudgingly

Ron Paul supporters “moved forward” Thursday evening, walking back into the Tampa Bay Times Forum after a week of high-profile floor fights, walkouts and rallies supporting their candidate.

Before they entered the convention center to watch Mitt Romney accept their party’s nomination, Paul supporters and those sympathetic to his right to be heard held their last, loud gathering here. They called attention to their grievances after a week at odds with GOP leadership. Though angry, the Paul supporters in Tampa tried to show that they remain committed to working within the party.

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“Grassroots Republicans are essential to the health and unity of our Party,” stated a press release being distributed at the news conference. “We must all move forward to bring our party together. We are enthusiastic about removing Barack Obama from office, but we are concerned that the actions of some in the Party leadership are jeopardizing our opportunity to get this done.”

Paul supporters’ main grievances stem from allegedly “not being properly seated” at the convention, new Republican National Committee rules that “diminish the importance of grassroots Republicans,” and the fact that their objections to the rules were openly ignored during floor consideration on Tuesday. Once that happened, they felt disenfranchised, according to Ashley Ryan, incoming Maine Republican national committeewoman.

“We felt it was no longer a convention; it was a cocktail party. You don’t have to go to a cocktail party,” Ryan said.

“All we really can do is raise awareness and get the word out, and put pressure on them,” said David Boyer, Defense of Liberty PAC executive director.

At their Thursday gathering, speakers formed a circle, yelling in order to get their message above the buzz of the crowd, which stretched across the north side of the patio. The participants weren’t limited solely to Paul supporters, but the overwhelming majority sported Paul regalia — in the form of buttons, stickers and hats. Some donned a black armband, signifying the “death of the grassroots movement,” said Josh Oldham, a guest of the Oklahoma delegation. Others carried 8 by 10 inch sheets of yellow paper with the word “grassroots” on it.

Brandon Navom, a member of the Massachusetts delegation who cast a vote for Romney, said he was concerned about party leadership censoring “liberty minded delegates” such as himself. When asked specifically if there was anything he could do to change the rules now, Navom responded: “No.”

“This was to draw attention to the issue that the Republican party is being hijacked by a few power-brokers who want to seize control for themselves,” Navom said.

As for the future of Paul’s supporters, Ryan said Ron Paul’s son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, is not the de-facto baton carrier for Rep. Paul after he retires from Congress at the end of the year — nor is Libertarian candidate for president Gary Johnson. She highlighted Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan and home state Rep. Aaron Libby.

“I don’t know if he’ll go to the national level. Hopefully he will, but I always joke with him that he’s Maine’s Ron Paul,” she said.